Nigo and j-hope Turn the Air Force 1 "Hobicore" — HUMAN MADE First, SNKRS Next

Nike and Nigo are adding another pair to their running Air Force 1 collaboration, and this time the HUMAN MADE founder has brought a friend from Seoul. Nike confirmed on Oct. 8 that the next style in the Nike x Nigo Air Force 1 World Tour is a three-way project with BTS member j-hope, built around what Nike calls his "signature hobicore aesthetic."

The shoe is based on the 2001 Air Force 1, which Nigo and Nike's designers have been reworking across his multi-season Air Force 1 run. Nike describes the look as "classic 1990s Tokyo nostalgia" meeting "modern global stardom." The upper uses glossy Burnt Sunrise and Metallic Gold leather with Chlorine Blue accents. Squirrel graphics are meant to reflect j-hope's energetic personality.

Both collaborators commented in Nike's announcement. "I think j-hope is one of the few people who can become a true ambassador for culture and help carry it forward to the next generation," Nigo said. j-hope singled out the materials and laces: "I really like the harmony of the enamel material color that Nigo expressed," he said, adding that "the special shoelace details that I haven't seen often bring out the charm of the sneakers even more."

The release follows a familiar Nigo pattern: home turf first. The pair launches exclusively on Oct. 17 at humanmade.jp, HUMAN MADE's online store, then goes global on Oct. 22 via SNKRS and select retail locations, according to Nike. Japanese sneaker outlet UP TO DATE lists the model as the Air Force 1 '01 JH SP with style code IO8766-800. Nike has not published a retail price in its announcement, and we will update this story when official pricing is confirmed.

Why it matters: This collab pairs a pillar of Tokyo street style with a member of one of K-pop's biggest groups. It is exactly the kind of Japan–Korea crossover worth tracking. Nike also says more styles are coming. Future Air Force 1 World Tour releases will "continue to draw on Nigo's friends, influences and personal history," so expect more names to join.